Sleeping in a supine position can provide a number of health benefits, many of which are not achieved or are achieved to a lesser extent by lateral and prone sleep positions. For example, supine sleeping can help to ensure proper alignment of the cervical spine and its associated musculature, which can provide relief from back and neck pain during waking hours. As recognized by the American Academy of Dermatology, supine sleeping can reduce the formation and deepening of facial wrinkles commonly referred to as “sleep lines.” For others, supine sleeping can promote clear or blemish-free skin by reducing the occurrence of pressure-induced acne (more technically referred to as “acne mechanica”). As a still further benefit, supine sleeping may also reduce the likelihood of acid reflux for certain sleepers. The aforementioned benefits are typically maximized when the head of the supine sleeper remains in a neutral or forward-looking position relative to the sleeper's body during rest.
While the above-noted benefits of supine sleeping are widely known, many sleepers find it difficult to remain in a supine sleep position for prolonged periods of time. For this reason, specialized orthopedic pillows (referred to herein as “supine head pillows”) have been developed to better support a supine sleeper's head in a neutral or forward-looking position. However, while providing enhanced support of supine sleeper's head, existing supine head pillows remain limited in various respects. For example, existing supine head pillows may fail to fully support of a supine's sleeper head in a neutral position in an ergonomic and comfortable manner.